TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Information Available In Other Languages

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 1, 2008

Information sessions, media and word of mouth are just some of the ways the Tampa Bay area's Spanish- and other non-English-speaking residents will receive information during this hurricane season.

Tony Morejon, Hillsborough County's Hispanic liaison, said the county's goal is to make sure everybody has a plan, is informed and is prepared to protect themselves.

"They should take it seriously because within the Hispanic community, it's common to find people who may not trust, either because they may not know enough or they may think this has something to do with immigration," he said.

Santiago Corrada is Tampa's Administrator of Neighborhood Services. He said the agency has an emergency plan in place throughout the entire year that combines a number of notification methods. "We can do reverse 911. We could use the media and a number of different ways; we have our television station, our public-access television station."

Hillsborough County - in conjunction with Tampa - distributes information about hurricane preparedness to Spanish speakers. Officials also venture out into the community to tell people - in both English and Spanish - how to stay safe.

"If they speak other languages," Corrada said, "we would use city employees fluent in different languages on a case-by-case basis."

Tampa and Hillsborough County will also offer information in Spanish about hurricane zones, the evacuation process, shelters, and the do's and don'ts of disaster preparedness.

Getting The Word Out:

Radio stations that will provide storm information in Spanish include:

• WQBN, 1300 AM

• WYUU, 92.5 FM, La Nueva

• WLCC, 760 AM, La Ley

• WAMA, 1500 AM and 1550 AM, La Invasora

Katie Coronado, News Channel 8

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT